Reply to MCPS has no idea what it's doing when it comes to chronic absenteeism

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Are PPs on this thread really role playing as parents of chronically absent kids? [/quote]

We are saying that MCPS does not keep accurate records, and with absences being marked even when kids are in school (possibly late), the absence number might be inflated.

No one disputes that some kids are chronically absent, but 
A. perhaps there are fewer chronically absent kids than MCPS thinks and
B. chronic absenteeism has to do with poverty and a troubled home life, which is not something schools can easily fix.

So this is all for nothing. Let's focus on more security in school (vaping detectors, weapons detectors, security officers), and a better caliber of teachers with a more rigorous curriculum, smaller classes and more textbooks.[/quote]

They can do things like change the bus rules to a mile or less for HS, so kids aren't walking 2 miles, sometimes not in safe areas.  That would help.  They can also do more with things like clothing closets, food pantries, laundry facilities, etc. - school shouldn't be social services but it is worth it if it helps kids with the basic needs.  Take away some of the barriers.  Offer free lunch and breakfast to more students.

But, I think that a lot of kids are marked absent when they aren't.  I track my kid through their phone and I know they are at school as I can see the tests and other things completed online.  I gave up fixing it.  Mine has been marked absent three times.  (and yes, they could leave their phone at school and skip but they are too attached to their phone).

And that last paragraph with the security, teachers, rigorous curriculum, TEXTBOOKS, and also I'd add more supports for struggling students starting in elementary school.  You need to catch and remediate very young as in 1-2nd grade so they don't fall behind and give up.[/quote]

I agree with you that MCPS's attendance is absolutely inaccurate, but I don't think it's so inaccurate that we're overstating the problem. It is in fact true that too many kids are missing class and that their absence from class is putting them behind academically. It's not true for EVERY child but it's true for enough kids that we need to be concerned as a school system.[/quote]

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